Car-coupling



(No Model.

J. L. WHEELER.

GAR COUPLING.

Patented Jan. 16, 1894.

[WEI/V202? WZZWESSES w w a a STATES JESSE L. WHEELER, OF RIDGWAY, COLORADO.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 512,928, dated January 16,1894.

Application filed September 28, 1893. Serial No. 486,692. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, J EssELWHEELER, a citizen of theUnited States of America, residing at Ridgway, in the county of Ouray and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and use: ful Improvements in Oar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an automatic pin support whereby the pin will be released when the couplinglink enters the draw-head, said device also providing means for supporting the link in a horizontal position and in such a manner as to permit said link to be elevated and depressed by the attendant in order to couple cars of different heights.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of the parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming" part of this specification, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through the drawhead, showing the pin-support in an elevated position. Fig. 2 is a similar sectional view showing the link inserted and the pin in engagement therewith, and Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the block which carries the pin support. Fig. 4 shows a vertical section of the drawhead.

A designates the drawhead which is attached to the car in the ordinary manner, and is provided with the usual mouth or opening a, through which the coupling-link passes. Rearof the mouthin the drawheadisarecessor chamber B having a straight floor, as b, a rear wall I) which extends forwardly at its upper end to form the rear wall of the opening 12 and side walls which are slightly wider above the mouth of the drawhead than they are on a line therewith so that there will be inwardly projecting portions 17 on aline with the upper part of the mouth or opening which receives the link.

The drawhead constructed as hereinbefore described may be forged or cast in a single piece, or it may be made up of sections bolted to each other.

C designates a block which is adapted to fit in the recess 19 at the upper partof the draw head and rest upon the projecting portions b This block is provided at its lower portion with a recess 0 and with an aperture in the upper part of the same through which the coupling-pin passes. To the block within the recess 0 is pivoted a cam D having an aperture d, and this cam is pivoted so that normally it will depend from the block and rest upon the bottom of the recess or chamber 13, and when in this position the aperture 61 therein will be horizontal or substantially so. It will be noticed that the cam D is substantially oval in vertical section so as to present a curved face against which the coupling-link strikes.

In operation to organize the parts the block O with the apertured cam D pivoted thereto is placed in the opening at the upper part of the drawhead so that the cam will be located in the chamber B and be permitted to swing therein. When the link is passed through the aperture in the block 0 it will rest upon the upper part of the cam and when the link enters the drawhead it will swing the cam rearwardly so that the aperture therein will be brought on a line with the pin which will pass therethrough and through the coupling-link into the aperture in the lower part of the drawhead, thus coupling the cars. The cam will rest upon the inner end of the coupling-link and hold the same in a horizontal position, utilizing the combined weight of the cam. block and pin for this purpose. When the pin is in engagement with the coupling-link the block and cam pivoted thereto cannot be withdrawn from the drawhead, as the cam projecting rearwardly engages with the forwardly projecting portion of the rear wall of the chamber B.

I am aware that prior to my invention it has been proposed to provide car couplings with automatic pin supports which are pivoted within the drawhead so that when lowered IOC improvement as it is thoroughly effective and positive in operation, is strong and durable and is not liable to get out of order.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car-coupling, a drawhead having a recess or chamber, as B, and an openingin the upper part thereof of less width than the depth of the chamber, the rear wall of the chamber projecting forwardly at its upper part to form the rear Wall of the opening, of ablock carrying a cam andadapted to fit in the upper part of the drawhead to locate the cam in the chamber, the block and cam having apertures through which the coupling-pin is adapted to pass, substantially as shown and described.

2. In combination with a drawhead constructed substantially as shown, a block having a swinging pin support pivoted thereto, the block and pin support having apertures substantially as shown.

3. The combination with a drawhead having a chamber B and an opening in the upper part of the same which leads into said chamber, of a block located in the opening in the upper part of the drawhead and carrying a pivoted pin support, the pin support being adapted to engage with the upper forwardly projecting portion of the rear wall of the chamber so as to hold the parts against removal, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a car coupling, the combination, of a drawhead constructed substantially as shown, a block 0 having a recess 0 and apertures 0 a pin support Dpivoted in the recess in the block so that when it depends from its pivots it will lie beneath the aperture 0 of the block and when swung on its pivots the aperture (Z therein will be on a line with the aperture in the block, substantially as shown, the drawhead, link and block being adapted to be used in connection with the ordinary coupling-pin and link, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JESSE L. VVl-IEELER.

Witnesses:

ERNEST O. BACON, A. F. NETTLE. 

